Rum Raisin Pumpkin Bread Pudding

• 3/4 cup chopped golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp all-spice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup milk
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 5 cups of pumpkin bread (or any firm-textured bread), cut into 1-inch cube

For the Butter Rum Glaze:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 4 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 tablespoon rum

For the Cinnamon Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the raisins and rum and let soak for at least 10 minutes. Drain raisins, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, heavy cream, milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, and reserved raisin liquid.
3. In a separate large bowl, toss together the melted butter, cubed bread and rum-soaked raisins. Transfer to an 8 inch baking pan. Pour the pumpkin-cream over the bread and gently press down, submerging the layers in the liquid.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator at least a half an hour, pressing down occasionally to make sure the top layers of bread are soaked through.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake until pudding is puffed up in the center and the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let pan cool slightly on a wire rack while preparing butter rum glaze and cinnamon whipped cream.
6. While bread pudding is cooling, make butter rum glaze by melting the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and rum. Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners sugar.
7. Make cinnamon whipped cream by whisking heavy cream to soft peaks. Add cinnamon and sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
8. Serve bread pudding warm, topped with cinnamon whipped cream and drizzled with butter rum glaze.

Yields: 8-10 servings